Timeline of Pietermaritzburg

The following is a of the history of Pietermaritzburg. It is part of the Msunduzi Local Municipality in the Umgungundlovu District Municipality, KwaZulu-Natal province, South Africa.

19th century

• 1839
• Pietermaritzburg founded by Voortrekkers; named after Gerrit Maritz and Piet Retief.
• October: Settlement becomes capital of the newly formed Natalia Republic.
• 1840 - Voortrekker Church of the Vow consecrated.
• 1843
• British established.
• Natalier newspaper begins publication.
• Settlement becomes capital of the newly formed British Colony of Natal.
• 1846
• Natal Witness newspaper begins publication.
• Book Society founded.
• 1847 - Natal Independent newspaper begins publication.
• 1851
• Natal and East African Society and Agricultural Society founded.
• In vicinity of Pietermaritzburg, development of Edendale begins.
• 1856
• Pietermaritzburg incorporated as a borough.
• D. D. Buchanan becomes mayor.
• Pietermaritzburg officials issue "ordinance permitting the establishment of African locations" (i.e. racial segregation).
• 1862 - Prison built on Burger Street.
• 1863 - Mr. William Calder opens High School Maritzburg, later to become Maritzburg College, or, simply "College."
• 1868
• William Macrorie becomes bishop of Anglican diocese of Maritzburg.
• St Saviour's Cathedral, Pietermaritzburg opened.
• 1874 - Botanical Garden established.
• 1878 - February: Natal Society Museum opens.
• 1879 - Pietermaritzburg County Football Club formed.
• 1880 - Durban-Pietermaritzburg railway begins operating.
• 1885 - Pietermaritzburg Chamber of Commerce active (approximate date).
• 1888 - Alexandra Park established.
• 1893 - 7 June: Civil rights activist Gandhi removed from train in Pietermaritzburg for defying racial segregation law.
• 1897 - St. John's Diocesan School for Girls founded.

20th century

• 1901 - Town Hall rebuilt.
• 1904
• Electric tram begins operating.
• Natal Government Museum active.
• Population: 31,119.
• 1910
• Natal University College founded.https://www.ukzn.ac.za/about-ukzn/history/
• Pietermaritzburg becomes part of the newly formed Union of South Africa (British dominion).
• 1911 - Population: 30,555.
• 1912 - Voortrekker museum founded.http://www.msunduzimuseum.org.za
• 1919 - Fort Napier becomes a hospital.
• 1920 - Pietermaritzburg Girls' High School founded.
• 1921 - Comrades Marathon (Durban-Pietermaritzburg) begins.
• 1924 - Beer hall in business on Pietermaritz Street.
• 1925 - Shuter & Shooter Publishers in business.
• 1927 - Afrikaansmediumskool (school) established.
• 1929 - "Native Village at Sobantu" built.
• 1931 - Natal Bantu Football Association formed.
• 1934 - Nux student newspaper begins publication.
• 1944 - Pietermaritzburg Italian P.O.W. Church built on Epworth Road.
• 1948 - Alexandra Park Street Circuit (motor race track) opens.
• 1951 - Dusi Canoe Marathon to Durban begins.
• 1953 - Roy Hesketh Circuit (motor race track) opens.
• 1954 - Edendale Hospital founded.
• 1960 - Alexandra High School for white boys opens.
• 1961 - Pietermaritzburg becomes part of the newly independent Republic of South Africa.
• 1962 - Statue of Piet Retief unveiled.
• 1972 - 6 April: "In the Natal Supreme Court in Pietermaritzburg, at the end of the longest trial of its kind in South Africa, thirteen defendants...are sentenced...for contravening the Terrorism Act."
• 1979 - Maritzburg United F.C. (football club) formed.
• 1976 - St Saviour's Cathedral, Pietermaritzburg deconsecrated and demolished in 1981.
• 1981 - Anglican Cathedral of the Holy Nativity consecrated.
• 1985 - 5 August: Treason trial begins.
• 1987 - September: Flood.
• 1989 - Napierville prison begins operating.
• 1990 - March: "Seven Day War" occurs.
• 1991 - Population: 156,473 city; 228,549 metro.
• 1993
• April: Unrest.
• 6 June: Gandhi memorial unveiled.
• 1996 - Children in Distress Network (CINDI) organized.
• 2000
• Pietermaritzburg becomes part of the newly formed Msunduzi Local Municipality (which includes Edendale, Imbali, etc.).
• Hloni Glenford Zondi becomes mayor.

21st century

• 2001 - Population: 223,519.
• 2002 - Pietermaritzburg Chamber of Business formed.
• 2004 - University of Natal becomes University of KwaZulu-Natal.
• 2005 - Website Msunduzi.gov.za launched (approximate date).
• 2006 - Zanele Hlatshwayo becomes mayor of Msunduzi.
• 2010 - May: Mike Tarr becomes mayor of Msunduzi.
• 2011 - Chris Ndlela becomes mayor of Msunduzi.
• 2013 - Spring Grove Dam at Mooi River begins operating in vicinity of city.
• 2016 - Themba Njilo becomes mayor of Msunduzi.
• 2021 - 2021 Pietermaritzburg power outage
• 2022 - 2022 Pietermaritzburg shooting

See also

• Pietermaritzburg history
• List of mayors of Pietermaritzburg
• List of heritage sites in Pietermaritzburg
• List of governors of Natal (British colony), headquartered in Pietermaritzburg 1843–1910
• of other cities in South Africa: Cape Town, Durban, Gqeberha, Johannesburg, Pretoria

References

Bibliography

• + Street Directory
• (About Pietermaritzburg, with illustrations)
• (About Pietermaritzburg)
• Matthew Kentridge. An Unofficial War: Inside the Conflict in Pietermaritzburg (Cape Town: David Philip 1990)

External links

• (Directory of South African archival and memory institutions and organisations)
• (Bibliography)
• (Articles, images etc.)
• Items related to Pietermaritzburg, various dates (via Europeana)
• Items related to Pietermaritzburg, various dates (via Digital Public Library of America)